McLaren admit Alonso a doubt for Formula One season opener
MCLAREN chiefs are optimistic that former world champion Fernando Alonso will be fit for the season’s first race in Australia next month, but admit he remains a doubt following his crash in testing.
Concussed Alonso spent three days in hospital this week after ploughing into a wall at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona on Sunday. The Melbourne curtain-raiser is just two weeks away but McLaren chairman Ron Dennis said the Spaniard had suffered no long-term damage.
“There’s no sign that Alonso’s brain is damaged. He is physically well and I see no reason why Fernando can’t be in Melbourne, but I’m not a doctor,” said Dennis. “He wanted to return to testing but doctors have told him that if he wanted to be certain, he needed to rest and have medical follow-ups.”